Paradisus Riviera Brides - POST HERE!

[JulieH]

Hey Ladies...

I'm very very upset!! I've had correspondences with Perla in the past and when I had received my confirmation of the JUDGE from her, she had said that we would meet down there prior to the wedding to arrange stuff. Not once in all our emails did she send me a 'wedding planning guide' or a 'romance wedding calculator'. Well last night (37 days before the wedding) she sent me these with an email that answered all my questions from a week and a half ago and with instructions that I'm to choose everything now and get it to her at least 3 weeks before the wedding. I even went and read every email we've had and there was nothing about this in any of them. She had always answered my questions, and that was it.

I am wondering how you all chose your flowers without seeing them, your cake without seeing the options, the chairs... etc

I am so mad that she had never sent me this information before and why she would have told me we choose stuff when we're there... I'm frustrated!!!!

[LAURENANDBILL]

oh god julie hang in there!!!!!!!!!

it will be okay.. i would be upset too.. Its gonna be a perfect day!! Stay calm..

 

Can you pm the email she sent.. Im curious to see what they will be asking for..

[MissyR]

We chose flowers and cake without seeing them, and we did a site visit. We sent her pictures of what we wanted for bouquets and the cake and then she told us the price that it was going to be.

 

Julie - do you any idea what you want your cake or flowers to look like? If you decide before hand - you can just send her the picture - it's better that way because then you know the cost and have room to negotiate before you are actually down there.

 

In terms of the chairs - there is no choice for the "free" ones. We upgraded for the reception but again did not see these - picked from a picture what we wanted.

 

We did look at the linens and did a tasting but that was all on the site visit three months before the wedding.

 

You can choose when you're there - but in reality you are going to be looking at the same pictures at the hotel that she's sending you - so it's easier to decide ahead of time and then you can budget accordingly.

[egsarah]

Okay I need a vent moment...please bear with me..

 

And let me preface a little...I am an engineer by trade. I am highly analytical and do a cost analysis on just about everything in life..ESPECIALLY this whole wedding business. I have heard a lot of mixed reviews on SWANK and think that a lot of the fees that the resort charges are frankly rediculous. ($30 for an overlay?)

 

So... I sent a HUGE list of questions to Daniella. Basically trying to get the breakdown on what ALL of my options were. If something is cheaper and better to go with an external vendor than I will. There is no sense in overpaying (especially when we have the high potential to have 100 guests). Daniella got back to me and IGNORED half of my questions. I numbered everything out so that nothing could get lost in the mix. Some questions she answerd right below some she just completely skipped. At the top she said "it looks like you have a lot of questions about external vendor fees so I'm wondering how much your budget is". Okay maybe I'm overreacting but come on!! I'd rather spend extra on a day at the spa with my friends than an over priced dj or some over priced overlays?!?! At this point I don't know what to do. I'd gladly pay their prices and still be within budget but why would I do that when I could be greatly UNDER budget if I went externally?

 

Okay I'll get off my soapbox.... Did anyone else deal with the same frustration?

[egsarah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JulieH Hey Ladies... I'm very very upset!! I've had correspondences with Perla in the past and when I had received my confirmation of the JUDGE from her, she had said that we would meet down there prior to the wedding to arrange stuff. Not once in all our emails did she send me a 'wedding planning guide' or a 'romance wedding calculator'. Well last night (37 days before the wedding) she sent me these with an email that answered all my questions from a week and a half ago and with instructions that I'm to choose everything now and get it to her at least 3 weeks before the wedding. I even went and read every email we've had and there was nothing about this in any of them. She had always answered my questions, and that was it. I am wondering how you all chose your flowers without seeing them, your cake without seeing the options, the chairs... etc I am so mad that she had never sent me this information before and why she would have told me we choose stuff when we're there... I'm frustrated!!!!

Julie...I completely understand where you are coming from. If it wasn't for this board I would be in your EXACT same situation. I feel like everything is being fed piece meal and you need to PULL it out of them! If there is anything that you feel you need just ask one of us on the board and hopefully one of us will have it to share. I've been posting all of the attachments they've sent me along the way.

Don't worry everything is going to turn out great. Just hang in there!!

[MissyR]

Deep breaths ladies.. deep breaths! And I was right there on your soapbox with you egssarah - I am a lawyer... enough said. I analyze and can make a case for (or against) almost anything. I debate with FI about whether to buy toilet paper in bulk.

 

Unfortunately while Perla and Daniela are sweet and nice and competent, they don't get that we want ALL the information. Not some, not 50% not half ass, but ALL.

 

I never got all the information from them - I will say that past brides on this thread saved me, gave me the details, sent me info, posted costs.. in fact, we worked through the numbers together.

 

The prices are ridiculous. But in a way - they have a monopoly because they hold all the cards - the linens are ridiculous. We paid $10 A CHAIR for the dinner chairs (and we had 60 people). We paid $4 A BOW (christ I could make them for 50 cents) - somethings I let slide because I didn't have the time, and others I refused (like the centrepeices).

 

At the end of the day - all that matters is that the people that are the most imp to you and your FI are there to witness your day. Do I wish I would have stressed less about the chairs, and linens, and centrepieces? ABSOLUTELY.

 

People commented on how nice everything was - but frankly... i think it would have been amazing if I hadn't worried about the colour of the table cloths for two weeks.

 

:smil e03:

[bumbles]

One of the few downsides of having a dw! Email communication, the coordinator thousands of miles away juggling multiple weddings a week, etc. It can be rough sometimes (I definitely experienced that), but we can all take comfort in that Perla and Daniela have delivered great weddings as evidenced by the many happy brides

 

I have pretty much accepted that brides pay a high mark-up for everything associated to weddings We're skipping the colored tablecloths from the resort but may purchase them and chair sashes through Wedding Favors Supply, Wholesale Wedding Favor Cameras, Organza Bags, Chair Covers, Table Cloths, Personalized Ribbon, Guest Books & Party Supplies. Trade convenience for savings. In regard to outside vendors, we only have two: photographer and dj.

 

Instead of asking the prices for many things, it worked really well for me to figure out what I wanted and seemed to be within budget. Then I would send the info/picture to the wc, and if it is too expensive, I'd tweak it and return it for another quote. For example, instead of 8 rose blooms for a bm bouquet, how much would a 5 bloom bouquet be? I somehow managed to pick out a $500 canopy design... that idea will definitely be tweaked lol.

 

It's still a little odd planning everything online like selecting the cake design, floral arrangements, etc. without getting to see a mock-up in well in advance of the wedding. For the cake, I kept the design simple so there's less room for error.

 

Hang in there! Everything is going to be great

[LAURENANDBILL]

READ THIS!!! JUST GOT FROM DANIELLE..

NOW IM NERVOUS..

 

Dear friend,

 

Due to new cost reduction strategies of the resort, I´m going to have a 6 days leave without pay. Yesterday by mistake I sent the answers to my mail, please forgive me and check the new invoice

 

We are working in a very detailed wedding guide, probably I´ll send it to you during the last days of this month so the speed of our communication will improve.

 

My best to you, Bill and your family

[LAURENANDBILL]

here is an email i had sent danielle

here it is with the email and answers.incase this helps fanny or egsarah or julie..

 

.WE NEED TO ADD ON 1 MORE APPETIZER Vegetable brochetas with soy sauce

 

3.floral arch can this be with different shades of pink flowers? YES

 

4.bridemaid bouquets- i need 3 instead of 2 OK

 

5.ladies corsages- i need 1 not 3 OK

 

6.rose petal aisle runner.could this be different shades of pink roses YES

 

7.pastel flowers for cake-please make these tropical Different colours or shades of pink only?

 

 

 

8.Please change video package 1 to number 2.OK

 

 

 

please send me back a new sheet with changes..

 

also send me my menu..

 

 

 

9. BRIDAL BOUQUET- SHOULD BE ALL ROSES WITH DIFFERENT SHADES OF PINK OK

 

10.BRIDESMAIDS BOUQUETS-SHOULD BE ROSES WITH DIFFERENT SHADES OF PINK OK

 

11.I need to 1 order boutinarre for my father..what do you suggest??what color? USUALLY IT MATCHES WITH THE FLOWERS THAT THE BRIDE HAS, IN THIS CASE ROSES, IF YOU WANT PINK TROPICAL FOR THE GUYS LET ME FIND OUT SUGGESTIONS FROM THE FLORIST, GET PICTURES AND SEND IT TO YOU NEXT WEEK

 

12. What color should Bills boutinarre be? Please suggest..How about pink tropical flower? YES WHY NOT?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Question- Can final payment be made by credit card ?YES

 

Question-

 

ALSO I WANT TO SET UP A MEETING AT 1PM ON JULY 19TH WITH YOU TO GO OVER EVERYTHING.DOES THAT WORK? YES, ACTUALLY IT IS AN INDISPENSABLE PART OF THE WEDDING PLANNING!

 

 

 

 

 

Question- What cocktails are included in out package?? How long is it? See the marked inclusions below

 

 

 

Question- How many chair covers are included in the package? The Chill out is based in 20 in house guests, same amount of chair covers, assuming you will be 14, would you need more?

 

 

 

Question- Table clothes are they included for reception? White color table clothes

 

 

 

Question- What kind of decorations will be on the tables? In the packages centerpieces are not included

[egsarah]

YIKES!!

 

This is what they sent me today. It looks like their wedding planning guide is much more detailed than the original one they sent me. Hope it helps!

 

It seems like other than the bouquets no flowers are included in any of the packages.

 

I asked for a centerpiece brochure and I was told it was in the works but they didn't have anything completed yet. Daniella suggested that I email pictures of what I was thinking of doing.

 

 

 

 

Wedding_Planning_Guide_-_2009.doc

Romance_by_Paradisus_Riviera_Cancun-2009.pdf